Process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018108932-A1
Application number	US-201615561728-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Apr 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process for the recovery of a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer from a component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer is disclosed, the process comprising immersing the component comprising the perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer in a solvent comprising an aliphatic diol and heating. Also disclosed is the use of the recovered perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer, for example in to prepared a proton conducting membrane or a catalyst ink.

First claim

1 . A process for the recovery of perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer from a component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer, said process comprising steps:
(i) immersing the component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer in a solvent comprising a C 1-8 aliphatic diol compound, wherein said diol compound comprises at least one —CH 2 OH group; and (ii) heating the component/solvent mix to a temperature of up to 230° C. to obtain a dispersion comprising solvent and perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer.

2 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer is chopped or shredded prior to being immersed in the solvent.

3 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solvent further comprises a co-solvent.

4 . The process according to claim 1 , said process further comprises a step
(iii) immersion of additional perfluorosulphonic acid membrane or a component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid membrane in the dispersion obtained in step (ii) and subjecting the membrane/solvent mix to a temperature of up to 230° C.

5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer is a perfluorosulphonic acid membrane.

6 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer is a catalyst coated membrane.

7 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer is a membrane electrode assembly.

8 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer is an electrode.

9 . A dispersion comprising perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer and a solvent comprising a C 1-8 aliphatic diol compound, wherein said diol compound comprises at least one —CH 2 OH group.

10 . The dispersion according to claim 9 , wherein the dispersion has a solid content of up to 25% w/w.

11 . A dispersion comprising perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer and a solvent comprising a C 1-8 aliphatic diol compound, wherein said diol compound comprises at least one —CH 2 OH group, wherein said dispersion is obtained by a process according to claim 1 .

12 . A proton conducting membrane, wherein said proton conducting membrane is prepared using the dispersion according to claim 9 .

13 . The proton conducting membrane according to claim 12 , wherein the dispersion is blended with a non-recovered perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer.

14 . (canceled)

15 . A catalyst ink comprising a catalyst component and the dispersion according to claim 9 .

16 . The catalyst ink according to claim 15 , which further comprises a non-recovered perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer.

17 . (canceled)

18 . A process for separating a membrane electrode assembly into components, said process comprising:
(i) immersing the membrane electrode assembly in a solvent comprising a C 1-8 aliphatic diol compound, wherein said diol compound comprises at least one —CH 2 OH group; and (ii) heating the membrane electrode assembly/solvent mix to a temperature of up to 230° C. to effect separation of the membrane electrode assembly components.

19 . A process for the recovery of one or more catalyst components from an original component selected from the group consisting of a perfluorosulphonic acid membrane, a catalyst coated membrane, an electrode and a membrane electrode assembly, said process comprising:
(i) immersing the original component in a solvent comprising a C 1-8 aliphatic diol compound, wherein said diol compound comprises at least one —CH 2 OH group; (ii) heating the component/solvent mix to a temperature of up to 230° C. to obtain a dispersion comprising solvent, the one or more PFSA ionomers and the one or more catalyst components; and (iii) filtering the dispersion to separate the solvent and the one or more PFSA ionomers from the one of more catalyst components.

Assignees

• Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells Ltd

Inventors

• Coleman Robert Jeffrey
• Ralph Thomas Robertson
• Haig Sam
• Plechkova Natalia V

Classifications

• H01M8/24 Primary

  Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/1081

  starting from solutions, dispersions or slurries exclusively of polymers · CPC title

• H01M8/008 Primary

  Disposal or recycling of fuel cells · CPC title

• C08J5/2206

  based on organic and/or inorganic macromolecular compounds · CPC title

• C08J2327/12

  containing fluorine atoms · CPC title